Once a Marine, Always a Marine
by miley-avril
Summary: Just a little thing I wanted to do for 8x13 "Freedom".  I really loved the episode, mostly because of the guest star, Christina Cox.  Tony gets Ziva to talk about Somalia and her past.  Please review  TONS OF TIVA
1. Chapter 1

**OKAY, SO IT'S HARD FOR ME TO WRITE FOR NCIS. I FIND NCIS LA EASIER, I DON'T KNOW WHY. BUT, I'M GOING TO GIVE IT A SHOT, MAINLY BECAUSE ONE OF MY FAVORITE ACTORS ****EVER**** GUEST STARRED. I WAS REALLY HAPPY WITH THE CHARACTER SHE PLAYED AND HOW SHE PORTRAYED HER. **_**CHRISTINA COX ROCKS!**_

**DON'T OWN IT**

_**PLEASE REVIEW, I'D REALLY LIKE TO KNOW HOW I CAN IMPROVE **__**J**_

Tony was shocked. Gunnery Sergeant Georgia Wooten and Gibbs were in the elevator, going to autopsy. He knew Gibbs had a way of being… _Gibbs_, but the Gunny had just _known_ Gibbs was in charge. That was funny. Tony looked over to Ziva, who had just resumed what she was doing on the computer.

"Hey, McGoo, I guess we can cancel the BOLO." Tony said.

"And we thought they were killed." McGee said.

CONFERENCE ROOM (THE REAL ONE, NOT THE ELEVATOR)

"You used to be a marine." Georgia said.

"I did." Gibbs said. He wasn't all that surprised that she had known he was a marine. They just had that presence.


	2. Elevator

**SO I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED TO FIND THAT AROUND 200 PEOPLE READ THE STORY, BUT ONLY ONE PERSON REVIEWED. THANKS FOR REVIEWING. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THE MORE REVIEWS I GET, THE MORE I UPDATE. JUST TAKE A LOOK AT ****HEAD INJURIES GALORE****. PEOPLE REVIEW EVERY CHAPTER, AND I UPDATE ALMOST EVERY DAY.**

**DON'T OWN IT**

Tony had a while alone while he was packing up his stuff. It was around 6:30 PM, and he had no dates, surprisingly. Judging by Ziva's not rushing to get out of the place, Tony decided to ask her if she wanted to do something. He waited at his desk playing Tetris while he waited. After 10 minutes, he heard loud thud that sounded like it came from her desk. Jumping, he looked over.

"What have I told you about sneaking up, Zee-vah?" Tony said, taking deep breaths.

"Did that really scare you, Tony?" Ziva chuckled.

"Oh, please. Nothing scares me." Tony said.

"Whatever you say, my little hairy butt." Ziva said, walking to the elevator. Tony was about to ask her his question, but her head disappeared behind the divider wall due to her lack of height. Tony closed down his computer and turned off his lamp. Then he headed for the elevator. He was surprised to see Ziva still standing there. She looked a little off, but he couldn't put his finger on what.

"Elevator slow tonight?" Tony asked, taking a spot next to her.

"Hm?" She said, as though she had been shaken from her thoughts.

"I said, 'Is-the-elevator-slow-tonight?" He said, as though he was talking to a dumb person. He knew she would've understood the first time had she not been lost in thought. He just wanted to see how she would respond. He was a little worried about her because of the case they had just finished. He could find so many similarities between Ziva and Georgia Wooten. They were both strong, capable women who hated weakness. They had both, at one point, been controlled and used by a man. And, they had both gained freedom, but getting that freedom was the most painful thing they had ever done.

"I know what you said, Tony. Yes, someone must have been on it." Ziva replied snappily.

"Ziva, you didn't even press the button." Tony said, now really concerned. Ziva didn't forget things, or get lost in thought.

"I mustn't have pressed it hard enough." She said, briskly walking toward it and pressing it hard.

"You always use more force than necessary. Are you ok?" Tony asked, the concern he had clearly showing on his face.

"Just drip it, Tony." Ziva said.

As the doors were closing, Tony called out, "Did you mean drop it or zip it?"

"They both mean the same thing, Dinozzo, as long as you get the message." Gibbs said coming by, and head slapped him.

"What did I do, Boss?" Tony asked, rubbing his head.

"Annoyed her." Gibbs said, turning around to talk to Tony.

"I always annoy her. You don't head slap me every time." Tony said.

"You make sure she's ok. I told Ducky that I didn't think it was a good idea. I don't care what you have to do, just make sure she's ok." Gibbs said.

"Boss, I asked and she got mad. I don't think me going to her house will make her _less_ angry." Tony said, wincing at the thought of being alone with and extremely angry Ziva, with no weapon. _That_ was scarier than Gibbs. At least Gibbs can't kill you with a paperclip 18 different ways.

"Do you think I'd send you into a deathtrap?" Gibbs asked seriously.

"You left her in Israel with that idiot of a father she has in charge of her." Tony said just as flatly.

"It was that or you'd be off the team." Gibbs replied. Tony, for once, was speechless. It took him a moment for him to find the right words.

"I-I didn't know that. Is that because I killed Rivkin?" Tony stammered.

"Tony, you should just go talk to her." Gibbs said, turning to leave.

"Last time I tried to talk to her about it, she tackled me and almost shot me." Tony said.

"Yeah, and was that before or after you saved her from being killed after being tortured for 3 months?" Gibbs shot back, leaving room for Tony to think things through.

**GOOD? BAD? SUGGESTIONS? TELL ME, PLEASE! DON'T WORRY, MORE TO COME, I PROMISE, BUT IT'LL GO FASTER IF YOU REVIEW.**


	3. 2:37

**THANKS FOR ALL THE REVIES, GUYS! I LOVE THE ADVICE. SOME THINGS I NOTICED WERE: MORE TIVA (I'LL DEFINITELY TRY) AND LONGER CHAPTERS (I'LL ALSO TRY). IT'S NOT EASY FOR ME TO WRITE LONGER CHAPTERS, THEY EACH AVERAGE AROUND 525 WORDS. I'LL TRY TO MAKE THIS ONE LONGER. AS FOR THE TIVA, DON'T WORRY. THE FIRST CHAPTER WAS TO SEE IF PEOPLE WERE INTERESTED, AND TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO. THE SECOND ONE WAS TO GET THE STORY GOING. I'LL STOP BLABBING SO THAT YOU CAN READ THE CHAPTER. THANKS, GUYS, AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW ****J**

**DON'T OWN IT**

Tony was sitting in his apartment watching _Star Wars_. It wasn't his first choice, but that was all that was on. His DVD player had broken earlier that night, and when he called the service people, they were closed for the night. So, he was stuck with whatever was on TV. He had resolved that the next morning, he'd try to talk to Ziva. It was around 2:00 AM, and he couldn't sleep.

…...

Ziva had been laying in bed for a while, the case's events replaying over and over in her head. She couldn't have helped to notice the glances she had received from her team members throughout the case. Of course, there were many similarities between her and Georgia Wooten, but the fact that she had been controlled by a man was probably the most alarming thing. And naturally, her team cared about her, and knew about how her father and controlled her. They also knew it was a painful topic, one that they tried best to stay away from. All the thoughts just overwhelmed her, and she snapped. The tears she had been fighting back fell, and she suddenly knew that if she kept keeping it all in, she'd explode. Ziva David wasn't weak, but her father had taught her that doing anything but staying quiet and never complaining about your problems was a sign of weakness. Gibbs had taught her that sometimes, you're stronger for talking about it. After she had gotten a hold of herself, she put on some clothes and decided to take Tony up on his unvoiced offer.

…...

Tony had finally fallen asleep when there was a knock at the door. Groaning slightly, he rolled over and looked at his alarm clock. _Who would be at my door at 2:37 in the morning_? Tony asked himself. Sighing, he got up out of bed and trudged over to the door. He opened it, and was surprised to see Ziva standing there.

"Only you would be at my door at 2:37 in the morning." Tony stated flatly, opening the door and stepping aside so that she could come in.

"Sorry about waking you." Ziva said, sitting nervously on the couch. While getting her a glass of water, he saw her fidgeting.

"Ziva, you okay?" Tony asked, bringing the water over.

"Thank you." Ziva said, nursing the water in her hands.

"Ziva, I'm worried about you. We all are. Don't try to deny that you're not okay, because I know you're not. You forgot to press the elevator button, you got lost in thought, you're fidgeting, you're nervous, and you're just holding the cup. You never do any of those things, unless something's really bothering you." Tony said, looking at her. She refused to meet his gaze. Gently, he took the glass from her hands, and set it on the table. The fact that she didn't insist she was okay told him that she wasn't. Finally, she stole a glance at him, and saw the genuine concern.

"You cannot possibly know me that well." Was all she could say. Suddenly, she really didn't think she could remain composed if she talked about what was really bothering her.

"I've known you for a while. Of course, we missed 3 months in between, so why don't you tell me a little bit about them? I'll tell you if you tell me." Tony said, hoping that since he didn't directly say 'Tell me about your time in Somalia' would get her to talk.

"Tony, I did not come here to talk about that." Ziva replied, finally looking up.

"So if you're not here to talk about your vacation in Somalia, what are you here to talk about?" Tony joked again.

"Remember when we were locked in that boating crate, Tony? And you asked about my father?" Ziva asked.

"Shipping crate, Ziva. Not boating." Tony corrected.

"If you get what I am saying, is it necessary to correct me?" Ziva said flatly, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

"It's a habit." Tony shrugged. "But yes, I remember."

"I did not wish to talk about it then because it was one of the only things that hurt me. Now that my father and I have… _reconciled_, it is easier." Ziva explained.

"Ok. But why now?" Tony asked.

"Because the case just reminded me of that imprisonment I felt. Gunnery Sergeant Wooten and I, I don't know, I just felt like we are similar." Ziva said.

"I noticed it, too, Ziva. We all did, and the situation, which is why we're all worried." Tony explained.

"And I realized that though I now have freedom from my father, I feel guilty. I feel as though I am betraying him." Ziva said, and blinked back tears.

"Ziva, how can you feel like you're betraying him? He's the one who betrayed you! You're his daughter, and he left you in a desert to die. You did what was right for you for once, Ziva. Trust me, you did the right thing." Tony exclaimed, enraged that she felt like this, and mad at Eli f*cking David for being the reason she felt like this.

"Because he is the only family I have left." Ziva said, then lost it. The only other person she had cried in front of in the past 2 years was Gibbs, so it felt a little awkward at first. It wasn't huge sobs, more like silent tears. Tony's heart broke at seeing his strong, unbreakable, amazing, beautiful, perfect Ziva so sad and hurt. He didn't know quite what to do. The last woman who was even remotely like Ziva that Tony had known personally was Kate, and the only time he'd seen her really cry was when he almost died, so he couldn't have really done anything for her, so he had no idea of how to comfort Ziva, nor did he know if she even wanted it.

"What do you want me to do?" He asked quietly, rubbing circles on her back.

"I don't know." Ziva whispered.

"Well that's not good. I don't know and you don't know. Not even an idea?" Tony asked hopefully.

"Tony, this is not an every day occurrence for me. It is more like once a year, so how do you expect me to know?" She asked, finally stopping crying.

"Think of things from when you were a kid." Tony suggested.

"The last time my father allowed me to cry was when I was 8. I don't remember." Ziva said.

"But you have a photographic memory!" Tony blurted.

"That wasn't until I was 15." She stated.

"I'm 42 and I still don't have one." Tony said. This made Ziva laugh.

"Don't you dare call me old." He said, smiling.

"You said it, not me." She replied. They fell into each other, laughing.

"Tony." Ziva said after a few minutes.

"Yeah?" He replied, captivated by the woman currently snuggled into him.

"Thank you." She said.

"Any time." He replied.

"Hey!" She said, playfully punching his arm.

"Ow!" He yelped, pushing her off of him so he could rub it.

"Don't expect it to happen very often." She said, looking dead serious.

"Got it, got it. This time next year?" He asked. Ziva just smiled, then fell into him again.


End file.
